FabGuard® Integrated Process Monitor (IPM)

Tool Management, Process Specific

INFICON Sensor Integration and Analysis Systems provide process verification and control, including run-to-run control of key process parameters for process optimization and immediate and automatic feedback to the process equipment or a process engineer on any faults detected and their probable cause.

FabGuard Sensor Integration and Analysis System takes data from in situ sensors, integrates that data with data from the process equipment itself, and condenses and analyzes it to provide the process engineer with actionable information. Alternatively, the engineer can choose to have FabGuard automatically send control commands directly to the process equipment.

FabGuard continuously monitors and controls your process. FabGuard starts by automatically collecting all available data, both from INFICON sensors and the built-in sensors the tool uses for proper operation. This data is stored and analysis results are saved in an SQL searchable database. Viewing this information is made available to operators through a single, consistent, easy-to-use interface. FabGuard then analyzes the data using sophisticated physical models and statistical techniques, looking for correlations across multiple parameters and comparing the process second-by-second to a model developed from previous runs. These robust techniques allow FabGuard to reliably detect process events that can then be used for process control to quickly detect process excursions with far fewer false alarms.

Manage a process, a tool, or your entire fab. FabGuard's advanced data analysis creates reliable information that can be used to advance process controls from event-based (e.g., endpoint detection), go/no go and statistical process control (SPC) techniques to run-by-run control and even real-time fault detection and modification of a process while it is running. As a result, processes become more stable and problems are detected sooner without the need for extensive test wafer usage or process setup time, so yields increase.

Features

Run-by-run and real-time analysis for process control and fault finding reduces scrap and improves process control

Automated data collection and storage for historical files to enhance SPC data combined from multiple sensors reduces hardware redundancy while allowing all data from an entire tool, process or fab to be integrated for convenient access and analysis

Single user interface for all tool data reduces learning curve

Classification of faults for quicker response to problems, minimizing downtime